Catering for the needy…Church of Christ shows the way

A 1.8 billion Cedi Vocational Training Institute built by Outreach Africa, a non Governmental Organization operating within the Takoradi branch of the Central Churches of Christ (CCC) has been inaugurated.

The school, which is located at Whindo, near Kwesimintsim would cater for needy children who have lost their parents. They will pay no school fees whilst attending the School. All tuition fees would be borne by Outreach Africa including salaries paid to the tutors of the school.

The School has so far admitted a total of 180 pupils who would read vocational courses such as hairdressing, dressmaking, catering and draughtmanship free of charge. English Language and Computer studies are compulsory subjects for each student.

As a result of the location of the school, a Vehicle would also be stationed at the lorry station at Kwesimintsim to transport the students during school days free of charge.Meals will also be served twice a day during school hours free of charge.

The School is currently building a hostel to accommodate students who would come from outside Sekondi-Takoradi .
Inaugurating the school at a colourful ceremony in Takoradi recently, the Founder and Director of the School, Brother Daniel Owusu Asiamah told the gathering what motivated him to put up such edifice to cater for needy children.

'Some twelve years ago, the Lord put it on my heart to start a benevolent programme to help alleviate at least, some of the sufferings of the needy and the vulnerable in our society”.

Enumerating some of the activities of Outreach Africa, Brother Asiamah told the gathering that since 1995, Outreach Africa had helped more than 10,000 needy families with food as part of its feeding programme. It has also given out 400 sewing machines to needy young people interested in learning dressmaking and tailoring. Outreach Africa is also involved in helping needy with anti-malaria drugs as well as de-wormers.

Communities according to Brother Asiamah, which has benefited from the Outreach programmes included Princess Town , Akwedaa, Apowa, Kejabil, Mpohor, Anlokrom, Nyankrom, Tarkwa Dixcove and Twifo Agona among others. Brother Asiamah disclosed that between the period of 2002-2004, Outreach Africa spent over $90,000 on the Liberian refugees at their camp at Essipong and Sanzule respectively.

In 2005, Outreach Africa traveled to Dodze Penyi in the Volta region and distributed relief items worth more than 80 million cedi to displaced persons from neighboring Togo . Brother Asiamah also disclosed to the gathering that Outreach Africa was into helping the physically challenged.

This is because the programme had given out over 50 wheel chairs and 200 white canes to the physically challenged in society.

Outreach Africa, Brother Dan Asiamah noted is currently sponsoring and supporting ten virgins to further their education at various levels including a 24 year old lady virgin currently at the University of Ghana. The virgin had received a package totaling 18 million cedi, a return ticket to Nigeria, 10 million cedi and other items for maintaining her virginity up to her age.

The programme had also sponsored a four-year-old boy's surgery at a total cost of 13 million cedi at the Korlebu Teaching Hospital successfully.

Turning his attention to the importance of vocational education, Brother Asiamah noted that youth unemployment was real and that it was time the nation began to de-politicize the problem adding 'our young people need the requisite education and skills to become employable. Vocational training undoubtedly becomes crucial if we want to solve the problem of unemployment in our society'.

Meanwhile, Outreach Africa is also building a twelve Memorial Retreat Center to cater for pastors working for the Churches of Christ. The memorial retreat is named after the first priest of Ghana Bible School, Rev Samuel Obeng.

The project when completed would serve as a resting center and a center for fasting and prayers for priest of the Church.

The priest would have a period of one week within which to lodge at the center where they would be provided with free meals and shelter.